English → Bisaya · Question Words

“What” in Bisaya: Unsa

The Bisaya (Cebuano) word for “What” is Unsa, pronounced OON-sah. It's used as a question in everyday Cebuano conversation across the Visayas and Mindanao, where over 22 million people speak Bisaya as their native language.

Bisaya translation

Unsa

OON-sah

English meaning
What
Part of speech
question

How to pronounce Unsa

Say it as OON-sah. Capitalized syllables in the pronunciation guide indicate stress — the part of the word you emphasize when speaking. Bisaya stress is meaningful: putting it on the wrong syllable can change the meaning of a word, so it's worth practicing out loud.

Example sentences

  • Unsa imong ngalan?

    “What is your name?”

“What” across Visayan languages

Bisaya is part of a larger family. Here's how the same word appears in five major Visayan languages:

  • Cebuanounsa
  • Hiligaynonano
  • Warayano
  • Kinaray-aano
  • Tausugunu
Compare more words across Visayan languages

Related Bisaya words

Asa

Where

AH-sah

Kinsa

Who

KEEN-sah

Ngano

Why

ngah-NO

Frequently asked questions

How do you say "What" in Bisaya?
The Bisaya (Cebuano) word for "What" is Unsa, pronounced OON-sah.
How do you pronounce "Unsa"?
Pronounce it as OON-sah. Capitalized syllables indicate stress.
What does "Unsa" mean in English?
"Unsa" means "What" in English. It functions as a question in everyday Cebuano conversation.
How do you use "Unsa" in a sentence?
Example: "Unsa imong ngalan?" — What is your name?
Is Bisaya the same as Cebuano?
Yes — Bisaya and Cebuano are two names for the same language. Cebuano is the more formal linguistic name, while Bisaya is the everyday name used by speakers themselves. Both refer to the language spoken by 22+ million Filipinos. Read more in our Bisaya vs Binisaya guide.

Continue learning Bisaya

More than just translations.

Browse the full Bisaya dictionary, compare words across all five Visayan languages, or jump into our beginner's guide.

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